Jesse James Hollywood

Details: Jesse James Hollywood at the age of 19 had bought a $200,000 house in West Hills, California, where he had two dogs, drove a black Mercedes and fancy blue sports car and his house was the spot for heavy foot traffic and luxury cars that kept coming and going. Hollywood was a popular guy, who was also a large scale-marijuana dealer. Twenty-two-year-old Benjamin Markowitz was one of his customers and he had a marijuana debt to Hollywood that was over $1,500. One day, Benjamin smashed a window at Hollywood's house, which sent him over the edge. On August 6, 2000, he was driving to the Markowitz home when he spotted Benjamin's fifteen-year-old half-brother Nicholas. Although they originally planned to kidnap Ben, they instead decided to take Nick instead, so his two accomplices forced him into a van and transported him to the home of another accomplice, and held him for ransom. When the ransom was never paid, Hollywood spoke with his attorney and learned that he would be facing a life sentence for kidnapping Nick.

Nicholas Markowitz

Hollywood soon decided that it would be better if Nick was killed than released. Three known associates of Hollywood, one being Ryan Hoyt who also had owed Hollywood money, took Nick to a very mountainous region of Santa Barbara off of Highway 154, where he was held until late in the evening of August 8, 2000. Police believe that two of the three associates, Ryan Hoyt and Jesse Rugge, walked Markowitz up a trail while the third suspect, Graham Pressley, remained at the vehicle. Rugge and Hoyt duct-taped Markowitz's hand behind his back, placed tape over his mouth, put him in the grave that had been dug earlier in the day, and shot him in the torso and head. They buried his body and covered the grave site with branches. Nicholas' body was discovered on August 12, 2000, six days after the kidnapping. Hoyt, Rugge, Pressley, and a fourth accomplice were all arrested and charged with Nicholas' murder. However, Hollywood was able to escape and is still at large.Extra Notes: This case was on the August 2, 2002 episode of Unsolved Mysteries. Hollywood was profiled on America’s Most Wanted and the case was featured on Dateline.

Jesse James Hollywood

Results: Captured. After five years on the run, Jesse James Hollywood was captured in the Brazilian resort community of Saquarema, 62 miles from Rio de Janeiro. He was living with his pregnant girlfriend, using the alias Michael Costa Giroux and reportedly was teaching English. Hollywood's associate, Ryan Hoyt was convicted of 1st degree murder and is currently on death row at San Quentin State Prison in California. Jesse Rugge is currently serving a life sentence in Pleasant Valley State Prison for his part in the August 2000 murder of Nicholas Markowitz. His petition for parole was denied in 2006. The third associate involved in the murder Graham Pressley, was released from the California Youth Authority Facility in 2007. Hollywood was convicted of the Markowitz murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole when the jury deadlocked during sentencing.Links: